In Absentia
by Tha Shadow 750
Summary: When in the year 2148, a mysterious phenomena interrupts a colonization mission to Mars, the future is forever changed. For mere hours before the launch was scheduled, the herald of a new age bestowed upon Humanity what they would call their greatest discovery. Or as its previous universe knew it: The Stargate.


**In the year 2148, our ascension descended from above, the remnants of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, the mysterious ship revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time.**

**They called it the greatest discovery in human history.**

**The civilizations of its galaxy called it... The Stargate.**

**~~ In Absentia: Accommodare ~~**

_**The ability to adapt is the key to survival.**_

**~~ In Absentia: Accommodare ~~**

From the outside, the tranquil image of Atlantis cruising through the void of space belies the tense atmosphere of its inhabitants. People rush about as they prepare for one of the hardest fights of their lives. Despite the situation, everyone is acting professionally.

"Dr Zelenka, what appears to be the problem?" Richard Woosley, leader of the Atlantis expedition, asks.

"Well it seems patch job we did to the conduits after our last engagement gave out, we won't be able to get power to the Hyperdrive. We could fix it by synthesising some new conduits with the Asgard beaming devices we've installed, but in order to avoid burning them out we'd have to progress at a much slower pace. We're not going to make it in time."

"Why would the newer conduits mean a slower speed?"

"It's a matter of efficiency. The Stardrive is on par with Asgard hyperdrives if we were to devote full power to it, and requires power to match. Our conduits, whilst advanced, simply can't handle it. It seems the Ancients exploited quantum phenomena to greatly increase the capacity of their conduits."

"So we're stuck here without a way to get their in time?"

"Well, there's always the Stargate. But for the city? Yes, we've had our shot and it looks like we're not getting another."

~~ In Absentia ~~

It was a great day for humanity, although none knew it yet. The sun shone through the cloudless sky, beaming down at the ground below. In its facilities, a space ship stood ready to launch whilst outside a few news reporters had their cameras set up and rolling. Rocket launches never gathered much attention now, the population mostly used to them, but this was special. It was to be the first of many to make a trip to Mars in a bid to colonise the red planet. As the time passed more camera trucks pulled up and the crowds grew. Inside the facilities everything was going according to plan and a great launch was expected.

~~ In Absentia ~~

It was a much quieter city now, with the majority of the staff being shipped to Earth through the 'gate on the off chance they could help. That's not to say the ship wasn't still fully crewed, although really the entire ship could be run from the control chair. A chair currently occupied by Doctor Beckett.

"So what are you changing now?" The good doctor asked, being none to comfortable with the control chair at the best of times.

"You remember how when Rodney was nearing ascension he was working on a wormhole drive? We think we've perfected it, or at least enough to give us a second shot at the hive. I've just got to connect it into the rest of the systems and run a few diagnostics."

"Not to be a downer, but what happens if it goes wrong?"

"Most likely? We'll be instantly atomised."

"Ah right, and you want me to pilot it?"

"Relax doctor, it's a simple as using the stardrive, just quicker."

His attention was dragged away when the tablet before him beeped, the diagnostics having finished.

"Well doctor, all ready this end."

Zelenka reached for his communicator.

"Zelenka to Woolsey, the Wormhole drive is installed and operational."

"Copy that, have the good doctor take us home."

With barely any outward effect, space opened up around the cityship and swallowed it whole.

~~ In Absentia ~~

It was as the rocket's crew were going over preliminary checks that it happened. With the cameras of several news channels focused on the rocket, no-one missed the distortion in the sky above. Space seemed to rip itself apart before an object, travelling too fast to be identified, emerged. As the giant anomaly closed in on itself, the object began entering the atmosphere, shining bright as the air around it ignited.

~~ In Absentia ~~

"Doctor Zelenka!" Woosley cried, "What's our situation?"

"We've feedback in the conduits from the shields and the wormhole drive, if I had to guess, I'd say the wormhole passed through a massive stellar event. The wormhole drive's shot, the stardrive's received minor damage and shields are fluctuating."

"Do we have enough shields to survive re-entry?"

"We'd better, from what I'm seeing, the stardrive's receiving enough power to, at best, slow are decent."

"Right, Doctor Beckett, try and land us somewhere soft."

~~ In Absentia ~~

In the skies above the object began slowing. The flames began to recede, revealing a blue dome of energy protecting it to everyone watching. But what was more amazing was what it was protecting. For inside the dome, a city, composed of six piers around a central location, descended towards the Earth. With a splash it landed, gently bobbing on the nearby ocean.

"Well ladies and gentlemen," A reporter began. "It appears today is a momentous occasion. Could it be, that we have our First Contact with an alien race?"

**A/N: In this universe's Stargate Universe, Atlantis went up against the Superhive in Pegasus, it was a stalemate since their was no bullshit "power draining" wormhole drives to make it weaker (and the hive had more ZPMs), but it still resulted in damage. The outcome of which is this fic.**

**I'd also like to say, I don't like this chapter. Like, I really don't like it. Wherever I tried to go with it, it fought me tooth and nail. Still, first chapter of setup out of the way. Hopefully it flows well enough.**


End file.
